S.C. teacher resigns in the midst of a dispute over privacy and responsibility.
March 3, 2016
Hundreds of students signed a petition in support of a South Carolina high school teacher, Leigh Anne Arthur, who was forced to resign after a student took her phone and spread a nude picture of her. Arthur has been teaching for more then ten years in Union County. She said she had left her phone on the desk and a 16-year-old boy took her phone and shared it among the students. Arthur claims she had taken the private photo for her husband for Valentine’s Day. The superintendent of Union County Schools, David Eubanks, said that Ms.Arthur shared responsibility for what had happened because she would allow students to use her phone in the past.
“It became a regular piece of equipment that they used in that classroom,” Dr. Eubanks said. “Knowing that, why did she put that photograph on that cellphone?”
When Arthur was informed she was confronted with an ultimatum; resigning her job or facing
“due process procedures.”
She decided to resign her job the next day.
The online petition states:
“Leigh Anne Arthur is the victim of a blatant attack of her privacy. Personal photographs were illegally obtained by a student and were sent to other students in the school (Union County High). After being escorted off of school property, we (the students) are left to believe that she has been forced to, or given little choice but to resign.”
The petition had more than 3,000 signatures.
In my opinion, Arthur shouldn’t be punished for this. The superintendent isn’t looking at the big picture and realizing the embarrassment and the invasion of privacy this teacher is going through. The 16-year-old boy should be held responsible for this incident.
“The whole premise of my privacy being invaded is being ignored.”
Justice isn’t being served because the superintendent is just trying to get the easy way out to not cause any more problems. Self interest does not lead to justice. Arthur is being harassed as just of few days ago color copies were placed in her mailbox.
Ms.Arthur has forgiven the student.
“He’s 16…He’s going to make stupid decisions. We all make stupid decisions when we’re 16.”
What do you think?
taytay • Mar 8, 2016 at 5:51 pm
I feel as though teachers should keep their personal life away from school, even though the student had no right to be looking at her phone. I feel he is more at fault and she should not have been forced to resign, its not fair to her.
cruz_26 • Mar 7, 2016 at 2:33 pm
I agreed with your opinion, the student shouldn’t have taken his teachers phone in the first place. On the other side, it’s also the teacher’s responsibility to secure her own privacy. Hopefully everyone, not only teachers, learn sommething from her mistake.
ItsBetterThisWay • Mar 7, 2016 at 2:28 pm
I agree with you the teachers privacy was obviously breached and if anyone is to blame its the student he knew what he was doing. he had to of gone past the lock screen clicked on photos. The minute he touched that phone his motive was clear.